Friday, March 30, 2007

Pirated CDs

My daughter has been asking me to buy SIMS 2, a computer game. I told her that I will not buy her one till its summer vacation because I fear she will be engrossed with the game that she will not be able to focus on her lessons. But classes are over now and since she did well in school this year, I decided to buy her the game.

Buying original CDs is not practical for someone like me (or us ordinary Filipinos) because they’re too expensive. Suspend moral judgments and techno ethics, I bought a pirated copy. It’s a four CD set that cost 200 pesos. When I installed it, this was when the nightmare began.

The first, second and third CD was installed without any glitch. But when CD no. 4’s turn came, error message boxes started appearing on the computer screen. I went back to the stall where I bought the CDs and asked for a replacement of CD no. 4. The sales lady obliged and replaced CD no.4. When I reinstalled the game, another message appeared telling me that CD no. 4 contains a corrupted file. I went back to the stall and this time the sales lady replaced the four CDs. When I installed the game, again, another message box appeared telling me that CD no. 3 has error in dll. files or something like that.

All this time my daughter was expecting that she could play the game.

The disappointment on her face every time the messages appeared on the screen is what kept me to return, again and again, to the mall and to the stall to ask for the CDs replacements.

When I returned this time I told the sales lady that I gave up. I want to shout and pull out a grenade and terrorize the people in the mall because I’ve spent the whole day going back there for the replacement of the CDs, and I’m already smoking with anger (of course its nobody’s fault but I can’t help but feel mad) but reason prevailed. I calmly told the saleslady that I gave up. I asked her to give me another game, any other game as long as it will run. She was understanding enough and told me to choose any four CDs on her display rack. I chose Harry Potter, Sim City (2 CD) and Cars. When I was installing the games, the computer asked for a code. I was looking for it in the CD’s sleeves but there was none. I realized that I have no choice but to return to the mall and the CD stall again to ask for the codes but it was already evening, and already very I’m tired.

The next day I returned to the stall and kindly asked the saleslady for the code and she obliged. When I installed the games, guess what? Errors again! I gave up. I told my daughter that I’ll buy her another CD if I have spare money.

My gulay, I want to kill somebody or something that day. I mean the cost of the jeepney fares alone is enough to buy an original CD. (Naahhh, I’m exaggerating.)